The Mini Field Guide to the Mattress Shopper

From Millennials to empty nesters, everyone wants a good night’s sleep, and the right mattress can help. Scroll down and select an age bracket to learn more about your customers’ needs – and nab the sale.

18to34

35to54

55plus

66%of women wereneutralabout the amount of sleep they get

62%of men weresatisfiedwith the amount of sleep they get

52%due topainor generallynot sleeping well

and29%of that is due toback pain

Try asking young women customers about back pain. We might not realize our current mattress could be to blame until you bring it up.

For young men, try focusing more on the benefits of a new mattress, instead of the faults of the old one.

We’re the group that’s most likely to buy online.

We’d like to shop around at stores.

But shopping online is way easier.

(So, make it easy for us to shop at your store, or you might lose our business.)

We’re all over

the place ...

7%

Have kids that jump in bed

28%

Sleep alone most nights

28%

Work or watch TV in bed

72%

Normally sleep with a partner (or pet)

72%

28%

7%

But

78%

of us want

room for two

with a King or Queen sized bed.

Unfortunately: We’re only willing to pay $400-$600 for one.

Also, dude:

This is most likely thefirst mattresswe’ve ever bought for ourselves.

46%
of us know we’re using a boxspring foundation

49%
of us know we have an innerspringorfoundation

And

25%

of us

have no idea what we are sleeping on.

Like,

at all.

You may have to take some time to educate us on what mattress might suit us best.

Chances are, we’ve never even been in a mattress store, let alone had to consider purchasing one.

But, there are some things we know we do and know we want:

60%

of us are

side

sleepers

32%

of us want a

hypo- allergenic

mattress

21%

of us want a

firm-edge

mattress

15%

of us could be sold a

bed frame

or 11% some pillows

And while

80%

of us think sleep is important

Only

45%

of usget more than7 hoursof sleep per night.

We know how important sleep is. We know it. But we don’t believe it enough to change our habits. Probably because we’re young and our bodies recover faster.

But that will change soon. The 7 years between mattress purchases changes us a lot. And the mattress we buy will have to last us into that aging process.

So, we’ll need something that can age better than us.

In Short:

We’ve probably never been mattress shopping, but we probably want a lower-cost, large bed. We don’t get enough sleep but know we should. And we think visiting stores is a good idea, but we’re the group most likely to buy online.

So, keep us engaged and educated, and we’re likely to stick around for a purchase.

56%of men weredissatisfiedwith the amount of sleep they get(which is up from 38% of men ages 18-34)

and joined the66%of women who werenot happywith the amount of sleep they get(which is the same as women ages 18-34)

49% of both men and women have some kind of pain that could affect their sleep.

It stinks getting older. We all know this. And your customer knows it too. Pointing out the reduced aches-and-pains benefit of a new, quality mattress could definitely help your up-sell opportunity.

And because of the whole age thing ...

we know

who we are.

74%
Do not prefer foam mattresses

64%
Sleep on our sides

93%

know what we’re sleeping on.

58%

Currently have a pillowtop or innerspring

54%

Currently have a boxspring foundation

14%

of us have breathing problems, including

sleep apnea, asthma, allergies, snoring

So, it makes sense that 27% of us want a hypoallergenic mattress and 13% of us want a mattress protector.

and

87%

of all of us ...

... want a king or queen mattress.

80%

of us do not

sleep alone

24%

work or watch

tv in bed

13%

share our bed

with a pet

9%

have kids who will

jump into bed

So,

We want a big bed.

I’d pay between $400 and $1,200 for a queen mattress.

And, $1,000 to $2,400 for a king mattress.

I’d pay between $400 and $1,000 for a queen mattress.

And, $400 to $800 for a king mattress.

Numbers like this mean a couple things:

1. Men apparently don’t know what math is, thinking a king mattress should be less than a queen.

2. If it’s a couple, try seeing the woman as your ally to bring up price. Be her best friend.

3. She’ll probably use you to convince him he needs a more expensive mattress. Lean into that.

And some more things we'll want:

23% of us want firm edges

20% of us want made-in-USA

18% want adjustable base options

14% of us want a bed frame

13% want a mattress protector

11% want new pillows

7% want a new headboard

6% storage underneath

That aside, because we’re going to spend more than the 18- to 34-year-olds ...

and, we grew up before the internet was a thing,

We will most likely not be shopping online.

(We will want to visit 2 or 3 stores though, so make yours the best.)

In Short:

We know who we are and know what we like, but the aches and pains of aging are compounding faster then we’ve anticipated. We’re willing to spend money on a big mattress, as we’re seeing the benefits of sleep.

But knowing what we like can make us picky. We’ll need a partner in the buying process: someone that will help us understand our choices to get the best possible solution.

52%of women weresatisfiedwith the amount of sleep they get

which is a huge reversal from younger ages, where 66% were anywhere from neutral to very dissatisfied

most men aged55+areneutralabout the amount of sleep they get

What does this mean? Well, at this age, you know who you are, you know how you sleep, and you’ve realized its importance.

But sometimes people don’t realize that they’ve become accustomed to mediocre sleep. Try to focus on why “just an acceptable” night of sleep shouldn’t be acceptable. Remind them that continued vitality starts with an amazing night of sleep.

49% of both men and women have some kind of pain that could affect their sleep.

People of a certain age can be set in their ways, and It can be hard to convince someone who’s been around the block a bit to invest in a new mattress. But a promise of relieved pain can turn a neutral attitude about a current mattress into a “let’s replace it immediately” attitude.

Speaking of “a certain age” ...

we defintelyknow who we are.

95%

know what we’re sleeping on.

70%
Sleep on our sides

64%
Currently have a pillowtop or innerspring

58%

Currently have a boxspring foundation

We’re here for some

pretty specific

reasons.

36%

of us are here due to

pain or health issues

21%

of our mattresses have

sagging and body impressions

24%

of us are just

sleeping poorly

And we want some

pretty specific

things.

26% of us want made-in-USA

25% of us want firm edges

18% want adjustable base options

15% of us want a bed frame

13% want a mattress protector

8% want new pillows

6% want a new headboard

andalthough31%of us sleep alone

81%

still want a king or queen mattress.

Men are willing to pay up to $1,200 for a queen, and go up to $2,500 for a king.

Women will spend $1,500 for a queen, but only $2,000 for a king.

If psychology has any say in this — and it does — women want nice things but don’t need as big. Men want more — more power, more size, more this, more that — just, more. And they are willing to spend for it.

And remember how we talked about 35- to 54-year-olds growing up

before the internet was a thing?

55+ shoppers will most likely not be shopping online.

(We will make a point to visit 2 or 3 stores though, so make yours the best.)

In Short:

We love sleep. We love it. We know how important it is. Heck, soon we’re going to start eating dinner at 4, just to be in bed by sundown.

But we’re set in our ways. You need to convince us that the aches and pains of age can be solved with a new mattress.